George Koller is the bass; Julie Michels is the voice. On their aptly-titled second album, Bass and Voice, that is all the Canadian duo needs. On Bass and Voice, Koller and Michels are on the opposite ends of an emotional thread, each of them holding up a side; listening to the music that unreels between them is like prying into a private conversation. There is a level of intimacy that happens between two musicians communicating with one another through the language of rhythm and melody. Michels' voice is an instrument itself, its presence bold and bluesy. It's no shock when they decide to cover Simon & Garfunkel's “Bridge Over Troubled Water." It almost seems written for them, tailor made for the bond of friendship that exists between them, one that stretches back nearly two decades.
Koller and Michels were introduced to each other in 1994. “I met Julie on a trio gig with a jazz guitarist named Wayne Cass," Koller recalled. “We had an instant connection, and it wasn't long after that we started experimenting in duo formation. We soon recorded our first CD, Singing Naked, to great response." Since then, Koller and Michels have toured and recorded together for 17 years.
Those who haven't heard any of Koller Michels' albums might wonder if Koller's bass creates enough of a rhythmic platform for Michels' singing; however, after playing Bass and Voice just once, it's hard to imagine any other instruments getting in the way of their interlocking melodies. For Koller, his love for the bass is rooted in his youth and will continue to be carried in his heart. “I love its glorious deep sound," Koller said. “I am still fascinated by the diversity of roles and styles in bass playing, and how the bass can literally glue a song together with its place in the groove or with inventive melodic movement. I studied all styles and genres and soon came to the world of jazz through jazz/rock hybrid forms. Jazz opened the doors of creative freedom. Anything was, and is, possible. I have the same thrill and intrigue about the mysteries of the bass now as I did then."
Koller and Michels were introduced to each other in 1994. “I met Julie on a trio gig with a jazz guitarist named Wayne Cass," Koller recalled. “We had an instant connection, and it wasn't long after that we started experimenting in duo formation. We soon recorded our first CD, Singing Naked, to great response." Since then, Koller and Michels have toured and recorded together for 17 years.
Those who haven't heard any of Koller Michels' albums might wonder if Koller's bass creates enough of a rhythmic platform for Michels' singing; however, after playing Bass and Voice just once, it's hard to imagine any other instruments getting in the way of their interlocking melodies. For Koller, his love for the bass is rooted in his youth and will continue to be carried in his heart. “I love its glorious deep sound," Koller said. “I am still fascinated by the diversity of roles and styles in bass playing, and how the bass can literally glue a song together with its place in the groove or with inventive melodic movement. I studied all styles and genres and soon came to the world of jazz through jazz/rock hybrid forms. Jazz opened the doors of creative freedom. Anything was, and is, possible. I have the same thrill and intrigue about the mysteries of the bass now as I did then."
